As his mother landed at Portland International Airport late last month, Nicolas Batum was beaming like only a son could. Sure, he was looking for a little home cooking, but even more, he was eager to show his mom his new-and-improved NBA game.

It had been almost two years since Sylvie Batum had seen her son play in the NBA, and roughly 14 months since United States customs agents detained her in Washington, D.C., and denied her entrance into the country during an attempted visit to Portland. She had seen Batum play in the NBA more than 50 times, but he was mostly young and unproven then.

This time would be special.

Batum had a more prominent role with the Trail Blazers, an exciting, do-it-all skill-set and a new swagger. Long before she boarded that plane to Portland, Batum told Sylvie she was in for a surprise.

"Remember what you saw two years ago?" Batum told his mom. "I'm a different player now. I'm going to give you a better show this time."

But Sylvie never witnessed the new-and-improved Nicolas Batum. By the time she arrived, his achy right wrist had tapped his talent and twisted his brain into a pretzel, simultaneously diminishing both his skills and his confidence.

As the Blazers cleaned out their lockers Thursday and went their separate ways toward an offseason of reflection, Batum was left with two bodies of work to reflect on.

There was the dynamic and sometimes-dominant game he showcased over the first 38 games of the season -- before he injured his right wrist -- when he was a contender for the NBA's Most Improved Player award and, perhaps, the second-best small forward in the Western Conference behind All-Star Kevin Durant. And then there was the inconsistent game Batum showed his mom, when his scoring, playmaking and confidence were reminiscent of the past.

"I'm not really satisfied by myself this year," Batum said earlier this week. "My wrist injury slowed me down too much. When I think about this season, I'm going to focus on the second part. The first part was great; I was playing good. But I have to find a way to go through those injuries and play through that and be more of a leader. I have to be better for my team."

Despite the bitter end to a promising season, Batum can take some solace in this: For half a season, Blazers fans finally saw the difference-making ability that multiple coaches and front offices have been touting. After years of teasing, Batum finally evolved into a franchise cornerstone, delivering the across-the-board skills that some believe can make him a future All-Star.

15-5-5

Before the season, in a candid interview with The Oregonian, Batum promised to live up to his controversial four-year, $44 million free agent contract and become a force in new coach Terry Stotts' wide-open offensive system. Batum set high goals, pledging to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. At the time, it seemed optimistic -- if not ridiculous -- for a player who had never come close to the 15-5-5 threshold in his career.

But from the beginning, Batum proved prophetic. In the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, he dazzled, recording 26 points, six rebounds and three steals during a 116-106 Blazers victory. Thirty-eight games later, Batum not only was backing up his preseason prediction and justifying that big contract, he also was playing like one of the best small forwards in the NBA.

Batum was averaging 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists and thriving in Stotts' system, showing improved three-point shooting, newfound pick-and-roll playmaking ability and a knack for stuffing the stat sheet. On Dec. 16 against New Orleans, Batum became the third player in NBA history to record at least 11 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, five steals and five blocks in a game, joining Julius Erving and Jamaal Tinsley. Before long, he would record his first two triple-doubles in the span of a week.

"That's what I've been screaming and saying for years -- that I can do that," Batum said. "I don't say that just to say it. I say that because I knew. I knew what I can do. Those five-by-five games, those triple-doubles, all those things. I told you. When I say I can be a 15-5-5 guy, that's what I meant."

Then Batum went to practice Jan. 18, and everything changed. In a freak accident during a scrimmage, Batum drove hard for a dunk and collided with rookie big man Joel Freeland, who elevated for a block attempt. Batum finished the dunk and crashed awkwardly to the floor, pinning his right wrist between his body and the court.

Batum was never the same. Over the final 35 games of the season, his scoring plummeted -- he averaged just 11.4 points per game -- and his confidence wavered. Batum fought through the nagging pain by contributing in other ways, averaging 5.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds, but he was a shell of the player he had been over the first half of the season. He was hesitant to shoot, reluctant to drive and create scoring chances for teammates, and mentally frayed.

And his team paid the price. The Blazers were 20-18 and in playoff contention before Batum injured his wrist. They went 13-31 afterward, crashing into the NBA lottery. In the nine games Batum sat because of injuries -- he missed one December game with a sore back and the final eight with a sore right shoulder -- the Blazers went 1-8.

"There's no doubt we miss him," Stotts said, in an understatement, during the waning days of the season.

What if?

By season's end, Batum's body of work was solid and he came remarkably close to fulfilling that 15-5-5 preseason pledge. He recorded career highs in scoring (14.3 points per game), rebounding (5.6), assists (4.9), three-pointers (165), blocks (83) and steals (91) and registered those two triple-doubles. He grew as a playmaker, logging more assists (412) than he had over his first four seasons combined (325). And he made history, becoming just the fourth player to record at least 100 three-pointers, 350 assists and 80 blocks in a season, joining LeBron James, Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant.

Despite the injury and second-half swoon, Batum justified that contract and established himself as a key piece in the Blazers' roster rebuild.

"What really impressed me with Nicolas was the number of ways he can impact a game," Blazers general manager Neil Olshey said. "The three ball was always there. He can finish in transition. The chase-down blocks. But being able to play multiple positions, being able to play with the ball in his hands; he's a much more creative passer than I thought. I always knew he was a willing passer. But the creativity and the vision; he saw plays that I wasn't sure he could see."

Still, Batum couldn't help but walk away from the season with a sour taste in his mouth and one gigantic what-if bouncing around his head.

"I try not to think about it, but I can't help it," Batum said, when asked if he wonders about what could have been with an injury-free season. "I know things could be better. It could be different -- for me and the team. I feel good about what I did. But I can do better. I can do more."

Perhaps the only positive in what happened over the second half of the season is that Batum walked away extra motivated. He plans to take April and May off from basketball to allow his wrist and shoulder to heal -- neither injury will require surgery. Then, for the first time in his career, he will spend June in Portland, training with coaches and working alongside teammates.

He has a host of offseason goals, including improving his playmaking, one-on-one game, pick-and-roll play and post-up skills. Also, he wants to add strength, explosiveness and bulk to his body, which he hopes will help him avoid the nagging injuries that popped up this season.

Mom's next visit

Will Batum's mom ever lay eyes on the player Blazers fans relished over the first half of the season? The player who dazzled and delighted with All-Star-caliber play?

At the very least, she won't have trouble visiting Portland. In March, she was given a 10-year visa to travel back and forth from France as she pleases. And next time she visits, Batum promises -- with the same conviction he revealed in that preseason 15-5-5 pledge -- Sylvie will see the new Nicolas Batum.

"When I talk to people who have known me for years, they say, 'We've just seen 60 percent of Nicolas Batum,'" he said. "I think it's true. I'm going to work out a lot this summer, concentrate on my game, because I have a lot of expectations for me, for the team, and for my game next year."